Broken Wings
by SaffronAngel
Summary: Can an old friendship be restored when one of the friends is badly injured?
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: Nope the characters you recognize aren't mine.

SUMMARY: Can an old friendship be resurrected when one of the two is injured seriously?

* * *

The three long-time friends came to a stop. There was a traffic jam. Nothing unusual there. The young black man in the driver's seat turned on the radio, hoping to find out just how late they would be this morning.

"For those of you just tuning in, an airplane has flown into the North Tower. The building is burning. People have started running from the disaster."

The young men looked at each other before throwing open their doors. Grabbing duffel bags from the trunk, they ran toward the Towers.

* * *

Arriving at the site of the disaster, Zack pulled out his cell phone. "Chief, it's Taylor. Jason, Rocky and I are at the Towers. We'll do what we can." He listened for a moment and then closed his phone.

"What did he say?" Rocky asked.

"That we were not to try anything heroic or stupid. Which, according to him, is the same thing in this case."

Suddenly, a young Asian woman ran up to Jason in tears. "Jason! Oh God! Jason!"

"Trini! Calm down. Tell us what's wrong."

Taking several deep breaths, the young woman finally got herself under control enough to tell the guys what had happened. "When the plane hit, Kim and I were in the office. Right off, we knew that we had to get out of there. We started for the stairwell. I made it but I lost Kimberly. I don't know if she even made it to the stairs. Jason, you have to find her."

Zack wrapped her arms around Trini as Jason and Rocky exchanged a glance before opening the duffels and pulling out breathing gear and OEM jackets.

"Guys, Chief said no heroics," Zack reminded them.

"This isn't heroics. It's Kimberly in there. We have to get her out of there. She wouldn't leave us in there."

With that comment, Jason and Rocky ran into the building.

* * *

They entered the ninetieth floor only to find smoke filling the hallways and offices. Rocky started guiding people to the stairwell as Jason searched for Kimberly.

"Kimberly! Kimberly! Where are you?" A hand reached out from under some rubble and grasped his ankle. Dropping to his knees, he quickly dug his childhood friend out. "Kimberly! Thank the Power! I found you! Can you stand?"

"I think so." Jason gently pulled her to her feet. She wavered and almost fell. "Stand yes. Walk, no."

"I'm going to put you into a fireman's carry. I'll get you out of here. I promise." Kim nodded. Jason bent and draped her over his shoulders. As he started back to the stairs, he guided others to the exit.

* * *

Rocky and Jason walked out of the building along with about fifteen other people.

"Get everyone back!" Jason yelled, gesturing for everyone else to move as far away from the buildings as possible.

"How is she?" Trini asked, following Jason. She was worried because Jason had carried her best friend out of the building and hadn't set her down yet.

"Trini?" came Kim's voice. It sounded slurred to the others but at least she was talking.

"Right here, Kim. I'm sorry I left you behind."

"Not your fault."

"Stay awake, Firebird. We're almost safe," Jason said, feeling her go limp across his shoulders. He could see the med station ahead. "We're almost there."

"Scott! DeSantos! I said no heroics!" The chief then noticed the young woman across Jason's shoulders. "How bad is she?"

"Not sure, Chief. I found her under a pile of rubble. I can't keep her awake much longer."

"Bring her over here." The chief led the way to an empty cot set up for triage. Rocky took Kim's shoulders as Zack took her legs and gently lowered her to the cot.

"Oh God, Kim! Your face!" Trini gasped as she fell to her knees.

* * *

A/N: For those of you wondering how the guys made it to the ninetieth floor before the buildings went down, Rocky and Jason were able to use jetting just like in the series. They may no longer be Rangers but they still have powers.


	2. Chapter 2

DISCLAIMER: Nope not mine. But I can dream can't I?

SUMMARY: It's been 10 months since September 11th. Has Kimberly started to heal? Can her friendship with Tommy be restored?

* * *

**July 4, 2002**

Tommy Oliver was on his way back to Angel Grove. He'd been making trips back to see his family for Thanksgiving and Christmas ever since he'd headed off to college.

Today though was a special day. Jason had just moved back to Angel Grove with Trini and Zack. He had asked Tommy to come over for a 4th of July/ housewarming party.

His cell phone rang. "Tommy Oliver."

"Hey, bro. Do me a favor. Stop by the store and pick up some ice and maybe some more beers."

"Sure, Jase. No problem."

"See you when you get here." The two hung up and Tommy pulled into the first store he saw.

* * *

The petite brunette was exhausted. She'd only been at work for seven hours when she was supposed to work only four a day.

"Trisha, it's about time for me to go. Do you think you can handle things here for fifteen? Just until Tony gets here?"

"Sure, Kim. No problem. Head out. Go on home."

Yawning, Kim smiled. "Thanks, Trisha. I'll call Jase on my way back to the clock."

She turned off her light and put up her lane closed sign. She started back toward the back of the store in order to clock out and go home.

About the time Kim was leaving her register, a face from her past was heading up to the registers pushing a cart holding three cases of beer and a couple of bags of chips. Tommy noticed a brunette heading toward him as he started toward the register.

They were on a collision course until she turned slightly. That was when he realized who she was. "Kimberly?"

Looking up into a familiar pair of warm brown eyes, Kim fainted. Thankfully, Tommy's reflexes were quick enough to catch her before she hit the floor.

The other cashier darted out from her register to make sure that Kimberly was okay just as the manager ran down from his office. "Is she okay?" Trisha asked.

"She will be," Tommy said before brushing the hair back from Kimberly's face. He kissed her forehead and then stroked the side of her face. "Hey, Beautiful, it's time to wake up."

As her eyes fluttered open, she took a deep breath. "Oh my gosh! Is it really you?"

He chuckled. "In the flesh."

She reached a hand up to touch his face. His hand touched hers again only to have her turn into his chest as if trying to hide the scars. She only stayed for a moment before scrambling out of his arms. "I have to clock out."

She had run off before he could stop her. "What was that all about?" he wondered out loud.

"I don't know. How do you know Kimberly?"

"We went to high school together. Dated even." He shook his head. "I need to call my friend, Jason."

"Don't worry about it. He's on my phone." Kimberly was walking up behind him. She held the phone out to the man she had once loved. "He wants to talk to you."

Tommy tentatively took the phone from her and lifted to his ear. "Hey, bro. What's up?"

"Kim just told me what happened. Is she okay? Really?"

Tommy looked over at Kimberly who seemed to be upset about something. "I don't know, man. She looks pretty upset."

"I'll talk to her when she gets here. Would you mind bringing her home for me? Just be careful. She's probably exhausted. She's only supposed to be working four hours a day and she worked seven today. She tends to be a bit short-tempered when she works too much."

"I'll bring her home. Hopefully, she won't bite my head off."

"Don't worry. If she does, she'll apologize for it later. That's what she does to me."

"But, bro, I'm not you. She's been around you forever. She hasn't talked to me in years and, from her reaction here, she really doesn't want to talk to me now."

"I'll explain later. Just bring her home so that she can get some sleep."

"Okay. I'll give you back to her now." He handed the phone back to Kimberly.

"Jase, are you --? What? What do you mean?" She hung up. "I guess you're taking me home."

"Are you ready?" She nodded and walked out of the store just ahead of him. _'What have I gotten myself into?'_


	3. Chapter 3

DISCLAIMER: Nope still not mine. Damn I wish though.

SUMMARY: Jason is living in Angel Grove with Trini and Kimberly. Tommy has come over for a barbecue but Kim doesn't seem to want anything to do with him. Can he get through to her? Will he even try?

* * *

As they drove toward Jason's house, Kimberly sat in the passenger seat of Tommy's jeep and stared out. She seemed to be keeping herself closed off from him as if she didn't want to talk at all.

"Kim, why don't you want to talk to me?" When she didn't answer him, he sighed. "Is it the scars on your face? Do you not want to tell me what happened to you? If that's the case, I promise not to ask about them. Please. Just talk to me. About anything you want to."

"I don't want to talk right now." She sounded so sullen. Not like the Kimberly he remembered from Angel Grove.

"Is it because you're tired? Jase told me that you were only supposed to work four hours a day. Today was what seven?"

Kim turned to him. "I don't want to talk. You want to know exactly what happened to my face? Ask Jason. He seems to be real keen on telling people all about it." She turned back toward the window.

Tommy didn't say another word during the trip to Jason's.

* * *

Before the jeep had even stopped in front of his old friend's new house, his ex-girlfriend had jumped out of the vehicle and ran for the front door. Tommy noticed the limp as she ran and found himself with more questions than he wanted to ask. Jason stepped off the porch just as she slammed the front door behind her.

"Hey, Tommy. How's it going?"

"Why is she so hostile? She nearly bit my head off on the way here."

"It's a long story. She's tired, man. Give her a chance to rest and she'll be a lot different."

"Somehow, man, I really doubt that." Tommy hung his head. He was so very certain that Kimberly hated him now.

* * *

Three and a half hours later, Jason was putting the meat on the grill and Tommy was standing beside him. "So what happened to Trini to make her so much quieter than before?"

"September 11th. She was in the Towers when the first plane hit. She and Kim were working in an office building when the plane hit the North Tower. Trini made it out but Kimberly fell behind. Rocky and I went into find her. She was buried under some debris and that's what gave her the limp. She couldn't walk so I carried her. Zack stayed outside with Trini who was blaming herself the whole time."

"Is that what happened to her face?"

Jason nodded. "Jason Lee Scott! What are you telling him?" Jason cringed as he heard the voice yelling at him from the upstairs window overlooking the backyard. Kimberly's head appeared over the balcony edge with a look of pure fury on her face.

Tommy stepped back and looked up at the woman that he had once loved. How had she turned so cold? So distant?

"I asked him about Trini, Kimberly. Your story and Trini's that day are tied together. I simply started putting things together. He's only telling me whether or not I'm right." He took a deep breath. "Why don't you come on down and join us?"

"I'll be down later." She turned away, leaving Tommy to wonder where the girl he had known had gone.

* * *

About an hour later, Trini went in the house and upstairs to get Kimberly. Kim followed her friend outside and Jason went over to her right away. "Kim, talk to him. Please. He wants to be friends with you again."

"Friends? Is that what he wants? Or is it what you want?"

"I'm just tired of always getting stuck between you two." As she opened her mouth to protest, he raised his hands. "I know. You don't ask me about him. But you've told me not to talk to him about you and yet he just keeps on asking me. I have to stall him. Constantly. It drives me nuts to see the both of you so miserable."

"Jase, I just can't deal with it. I couldn't stand to see him look at me with the pity that I see from so many. Why do you think I keep hiding?" She took a deep breath. "Besides, after the letter, I'm surprised he wants anything at all to do with me."

"He's forgiven that. Although, I'm sure he'd like to know what brought that on." He put a hand on her shoulder. "Please. At least try to be civil to him. He still cares. Cares enough that you hurt him when you wouldn't talk to him on the drive home."

"I do still care about him, Jase. But how do I explain to him why I just dumped him like that?"

"That's up to you. I just hate seeing you miserable and yet you have been every day for the past ten months. Maybe he can help you. Maybe he can make you a little happier. Maybe you can do the same for him."

"I'll talk to him. I make no promises though. Is that understood, Jason?"

Jason nodded before folding his 'little sister' into his arms and hugging her tightly. "That's all I ask, Firebird. That's all I ask."


End file.
